diff --git a/harness/compareArray.js b/harness/compareArray.js
index 61aa696c52..2af35eeae3 100644
--- a/harness/compareArray.js
+++ b/harness/compareArray.js
@@ -45,6 +45,6 @@ assert.compareArray = function(actual, expected, message) {
   // The following prevents actual and expected from being iterated and evaluated
   // more than once unless absolutely necessary.
   if (!result) {
-    assert(false, `Actual ${format(actual)} and expected ${format(expected)} should have the the same contents. ${message}`);
+    assert(false, `Actual ${format(actual)} and expected ${format(expected)} should have the same contents. ${message}`);
   }
 };
diff --git a/test/harness/compare-array-arguments.js b/test/harness/compare-array-arguments.js
index 597efa0564..ccecdd743e 100644
--- a/test/harness/compare-array-arguments.js
+++ b/test/harness/compare-array-arguments.js
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@ function f() {
 
   checkFormatOfAssertionMessage(() => {
     assert.compareArray(arguments, [], 'arguments and []');
-  }, 'Expected [0, a, undefined] and [] to have the same contents. arguments and []');
+  }, 'Actual [0, a, undefined] and expected [] should have the same contents. arguments and []');
 
   checkFormatOfAssertionMessage(() => {
     assert.compareArray([], arguments, '[] and arguments');
-  }, 'Expected [] and [0, a, undefined] to have the same contents. [] and arguments');
+  }, 'Actual [] and expected [0, a, undefined] should have the same contents. [] and arguments');
 }
 
 f(...fixture);
diff --git a/test/harness/compare-array-arraylike.js b/test/harness/compare-array-arraylike.js
index 8318e5ff51..826e6acac0 100644
--- a/test/harness/compare-array-arraylike.js
+++ b/test/harness/compare-array-arraylike.js
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ assert.compareArray([0, 'a', undefined], fixture);
 
 checkFormatOfAssertionMessage(() => {
   assert.compareArray(fixture, [], 'fixture and []');
-}, 'Expected [0, a, undefined] and [] to have the same contents. fixture and []');
+}, 'Actual [0, a, undefined] and expected [] should have the same contents. fixture and []');
 
 checkFormatOfAssertionMessage(() => {
   assert.compareArray([], fixture, '[] and fixture');
-}, 'Expected [] and [0, a, undefined] to have the same contents. [] and fixture');
+}, 'Actual [] and expected [0, a, undefined] should have the same contents. [] and fixture');
diff --git a/test/harness/compare-array-falsy-arguments.js b/test/harness/compare-array-falsy-arguments.js
index ad16a49a8e..1b17976401 100644
--- a/test/harness/compare-array-falsy-arguments.js
+++ b/test/harness/compare-array-falsy-arguments.js
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ function assertThrows(func, errorMessage) {
     assert(caught, `Expected ${func} to throw, but it didn't.`);
 }
 
-assertThrows(() => assert.compareArray(), "First argument shouldn't be nullish. ");
-assertThrows(() => assert.compareArray(null, []), "First argument shouldn't be nullish. ");
-assertThrows(() => assert.compareArray(null, [], "foo"), "First argument shouldn't be nullish. foo");
+assertThrows(() => assert.compareArray(), "Actual argument shouldn't be nullish. ");
+assertThrows(() => assert.compareArray(null, []), "Actual argument shouldn't be nullish. ");
+assertThrows(() => assert.compareArray(null, [], "foo"), "Actual argument shouldn't be nullish. foo");
 
-assertThrows(() => assert.compareArray([]), "Second argument shouldn't be nullish. ");
-assertThrows(() => assert.compareArray([], undefined, "foo"), "Second argument shouldn't be nullish. foo");
+assertThrows(() => assert.compareArray([]), "Expected argument shouldn't be nullish. ");
+assertThrows(() => assert.compareArray([], undefined, "foo"), "Expected argument shouldn't be nullish. foo");